NHL: five things we learned + Toronto Maple Leafs | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/series/nhl-five-things-we-learned+toronto-maple-leafs
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NHL playoffs: Are the New York Islanders this year's LA Kings? | Colin Horganhttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/may/08/islanders-penguins-nhl-playoffs-la-kings
The eighth-seeded New York Islanders have surprised the Pittsburgh Penguins; goodbye Vancouver Canucks; Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens develop serious rivalry<p>Speaking of surprises, the one that probably nobody predicted is that the New York Islanders would make a series of it with the Pittsburgh Penguins. And yet...</p><p>&quot;Remember the playoffs when they were with Boston? I think they had 8 goals in 7 games. it wasn't Roberto, it was your scorers,&quot; Cherry said. &quot;His losses this year, in 8 games – his losses – they've scored 10 goals, and they're not scoring... Vancouver: It's not your goaltenders, it's the guys that lead your league in scoring and aren't scoring.&quot;</p><p>&quot;People never tire of giving the Leafs and former GM Brian Burke grief over the Phil Kessel trade that delivered Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton to the Bruins. But in the short-term, the organization's decision to go with Pogge over Rask might even be a worse one. To this point it certainly has and in this series, it has, since Seguin has yet to register a point and Hamilton has been a healthy scratch in two of the three games.&quot; </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/may/08/islanders-penguins-nhl-playoffs-la-kings">Continue reading...</a>NHLUS sportsSportVancouver CanucksSan Jose SharksNew York IslandersPittsburgh PenguinsOttawa SenatorsMontreal CanadiensToronto Maple LeafsBoston BruinsWed, 08 May 2013 14:32:11 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/may/08/islanders-penguins-nhl-playoffs-la-kingsSHANNON STAPLETON/ReutersNew York Islanders' John Tavares celebrates his goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins' during their Stanley Cup playoffs Eastern Conference quarter-final game in Uniondale, New York, May 7, 2013. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/ReutersSHANNON STAPLETON/ReutersNew York Islanders' John Tavares celebrates his goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins' with teammate Josh Bailey (12) during the third period of their Stanley Cup playoffs Eastern Conference quarter-final game in Uniondale, New York, May 7, 2013. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/ReutersColin Horgan2013-05-08T14:32:11ZEric Gryba hit on Lars Eller signals bloody start to NHL playoffshttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/may/03/nhl-playoffs-lars-eller-eric-gryba
Ottawa Senator's Eric Gryba suspended for two games for hit on Montreal Canadiens' Lars Eller; Minnesota Wild's Josh Harding doesn't let multiple sclerosis stop him; Toronto Maple Leafs struggle against Boston Bruins<p>The NHL playoffs are now in full swing. We look at the main storylines from the first round of games:</p><p>&quot;What about matchups? Phil Kessel didn't attempt a shot on goal until the third period and played just 13:51, his second-lowest total of the season. He played just 3:20 in the third period, when the game was out of sight. Of his nearly 12 minutes at even strength, 10 came against Zdeno Chara, and eight came against Patrice Bergeron, two shutdown artists.&quot; </p><p>&quot;A few of the local reporters I talked to remarked afterwards that this was the Bruins best game of the season. The atmosphere in their dressing room was buoyant as players talked about the win next to a Bruins sweater that hung on one wall with Boston 617 Strong stitched on the back, in honour of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings last month.&quot;</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/may/03/nhl-playoffs-lars-eller-eric-gryba">Continue reading...</a>NHLUS sportsSportMontreal CanadiensOttawa SenatorsToronto Maple LeafsBoston BruinsNew York RangersWashington CapitalsMinnesota WildChicago BlackhawksFri, 03 May 2013 20:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/may/03/nhl-playoffs-lars-eller-eric-grybaGraham Hughes/APMontreal Canadiens' Lars Eller receives medical attention following a hit by Ottawa Senators' Eric Gryba during Game One of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs first-round series in Montreal on Thursday, May 2, 2013. Photograph: Graham Hughes/APGraham Hughes/APMontreal Canadiens' Lars Eller receives medical attention following a hit by Ottawa Senators' Eric Gryba during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs first-round series in Montreal on Thursday, May 2, 2013. Photograph: Graham Hughes/APColin Horgan2013-05-03T20:00:00ZMark Messier deserves Order of Hockey award for helmet safety campaign | Colin Horganhttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/apr/09/mark-messier-order-canada-hockey-concussion
Former Oilers and Rangers captain Mark Messier receives new Order of Hockey in Canada award and hopes for better player safety; trade roundup; goals of the week<p>On Monday on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, former Oilers and Rangers captain Mark Messier was <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2013/04/08/spf-stream-order-of-hockey-canada.html">one of three recipients of Hockey Canada's relatively new Order of Hockey in Canada award</a> for his contributions to the game (the other two to receive the designation Monday were Paul Henderson and Dave King). In amongst the stories of what kind of a leader Messier was on the ice (there was no mention of <a href="http://hfboards.hockeysfuture.com/showthread.php?t=1385597">his time in Vancouver</a>) and his passion for the game, there was a brief nod to his one of his primary goals since he left besides <a href="http://youtu.be/lJWb5AeP6ac">selling potato chips</a>. That is, protecting players from concussions. </p><p>&quot;Pronger made his lone post-concussion appearance at Philadelphia's playoff-clinching game March 25 in owner Ed Snider's box, wearing glasses and a beard. He was given a powerful ovation, and his teammates, led by Jaromir Jagr, waved from the bench. But the visit did not go well. <br />'It bothered him,' [GM Paul Holmgren] says. 'With the lights, with the noise, but also it's emotional. And I know watching the playoff games, it's really emotional. There's nowhere else he'd rather be. He hasn't been able to do a whole lot – maybe he's got a padded room at home.'&quot; </p><p>&quot;If Luongo were to play the next seven years of his deal in Toronto before retiring, the Leafs would be paying him $43.666 million in salary but only counting $37.31 million against the cap over those seven years, a cap savings of $6.356 million. So if Luongo retires with three years left on his deal (because his salary falls to $1.618 million in the 10th year and then $1 million in the last two years of the deal), the Leafs would get charged that $6.356 million on their cap spread evenly over the remaining three years of his deal.&quot; </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/apr/09/mark-messier-order-canada-hockey-concussion">Continue reading...</a>NHLUS sportsSportEdmonton OilersNew York RangersToronto Maple LeafsPhiladelphia FlyersPittsburgh PenguinsTue, 09 Apr 2013 13:42:09 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/apr/09/mark-messier-order-canada-hockey-concussionAdrian Wyld/APTears roll down the cheek of former NHL great Mark Messier as he speaks during his induction into the Order of Hockey in Canada in Ottawa, Monday April 8, 2013. Photograph: Adrian Wyld/APAdrian Wyld/APTears roll down the cheek of former NHL great Mark Messier as he speaks during his induction into the Order of Hockey in Canada in Ottawa, Monday April 8, 2013. Photograph: Adrian Wyld/APColin Horgan2013-04-09T13:42:09ZJarome Iginla traded to Penguins but Calgary will keep home flames burning | Colin Horganhttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/apr/02/jarome-iginla-pittsburgh-penguins-calgary-flames
We figured the guy you'd lend your lawnmower to would be a Bruin. He went to Pittsburgh but his old town still loves him<p>An Iginla trade was bound to happen. It had been spinning in the rumour mill for weeks. However, few might have predicted it would happen quite the way it did.</p><p>Until late Wednesday night, most NHL fans figured Jarome Iginla was soon to be bound for a plane from Calgary to Boston, set to become the next Bruin. Some, including TSN's Bob McKenzie, were speculating that not only would Iginla probably end up in Boston, but that the fact that the deal wasn't 100% complete might even mean there was a third team involved. Would Jay Boumeester or Mikka Kiprusoff be on the chopping block, too?</p><p>&quot;I will bring it to [Brendan] Shanahan and Gary [Bettman] and at that point, they can decide whether it's something they want to put out publicly or not if I'm right. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong.&quot;</p><p>Melnyk says they're always open to the input from NHL owners.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/apr/02/jarome-iginla-pittsburgh-penguins-calgary-flames">Continue reading...</a>NHLUS sportsSportCalgary FlamesPittsburgh PenguinsOttawa SenatorsVancouver CanucksToronto Maple LeafsEdmonton OilersTue, 02 Apr 2013 15:15:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/apr/02/jarome-iginla-pittsburgh-penguins-calgary-flamesReutersFormer Calgary Flames' captain Jarome Iginla addresses the media, the morning after being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Photograph: ReutersReutersFormer Calgary Flames' captain Jarome Iginla addresses the media, the morning after being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Photograph: ReutersColin Horgan2013-04-02T15:15:00ZNazem Kadri's dream season: new leaf or another false dawn in Toronto? | Colin Horganhttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/mar/26/nazem-kadri-dream-toronto-maple-leafs
Maple Leafs' top scorer is confounding critics despite having spent as much time out of the NHL as making headlines in it<p>It wasn't too long ago that uttering the name Nazem Kadri around a Toronto Maple Leafs fan would bring a slow shake of the head and a dejected shoulder shrug. Kadri – drafted by Toronto seventh overall in 2009 – earned a reputation for popping into the Leaf lineup with a lot of promise, only to sputter in the NHL and find himself quickly bumped back down to the Marlies. What could Leafs fans really say? He always seemed like he was ready. Every time. And then, nothing. <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2012/10/02/sp-nhl-toronto-maple-leafs-don-cherry-nazem-kadri.html">His only pal, it seemed, was Don Cherry</a>. </p><p>At this moment, Kadri is the Leafs' top scorer <a href="http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/stats.htm">(14 goals in 32 games – ahead of Phil Kessel)</a> and was picked by the league as one of the week's three stars, alongside Alexander Ovechkin and Niklas Backstrom. It's a complete turnaround. Now, everyone is second-guessing themselves about him. Maybe he was great all along. Maybe, uh, Don Cherry was right? Now the praise is everywhere.</p><p>&quot;I saw him around Christmas with the Marlies,&quot; said Phoenix general manager Don Maloney. &quot;He didn't do much. And I thought, you know, maybe he's not going to make it. &quot;And we all make the same mistake in this business. We want to rush our kids and have them play right away. We want to make snap decisions. And when they don't do what we want, too often we give up on them.&quot;</p><p>Some, like New Jersey Devils head coach Peter DeBoer, are now comparing Kadri to a young Doug Gilmour or saying that he might be the No1 centre that the Leafs have been searching for since Mats Sundin left. And while that talk might be surprising – if not overly premature for 22-year-old who entered the year having played only 51 NHL games, the praise has also been a refreshing change.</p><p>On Thursday he became just the third Leaf in the last 23 seasons to register three or more points on two consecutive days, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. His three assists in Wednesday's win over the Lightning combined with his two goals and an assist in Thursday's shootout loss in Buffalo put him in the rare company of Mats Sundin and Doug Gilmour.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/mar/26/nazem-kadri-dream-toronto-maple-leafs">Continue reading...</a>NHLUS sportsSportToronto Maple LeafsNew York RangersFlorida PanthersPittsburgh PenguinsCalgary FlamesTue, 26 Mar 2013 15:03:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/mar/26/nazem-kadri-dream-toronto-maple-leafsDoug Benz/ReutersToronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri celebrates a goal against the Buffalo Sabres. Photograph: Doug Benz/ReutersDoug Benz/ReutersToronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri celebrates a goal against the Buffalo Sabres. Photograph: Doug Benz/ReutersColin Horgan2013-03-26T15:03:00ZShould the NHL outlaw staged fights and enforce helmet visors?http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/mar/12/nhl-staged-fights-frazer-mclaren-david-dziurzynsk
Toronto Maple Leafs' Frazer McLaren knocks out Ottawa Senator's David Dziurzynski and reopens staged fights debate; Mark Staal gets puck in the eye; goals of the week and more<p>Any Leafs-Senators game is going to obviously come with a fair amount of intensity, given the animosity between two cities that, on any given day, feel they're the most important in the country. But very early on in Wednesday's meeting, the matchup became representative of something else – the question about the value of staged fights in the league. Early in the game, Toronto's Frazer McLaren and Ottawa's David Dziurzynski decided they'd have a punch-up near centre ice. It was over pretty quickly, with McLaren laying a knock-out blow to Dziurzynski's jaw fairly quickly. <a href="http://www.thestar.com/sports/leafs/2013/03/07/maple_leafs_frazer_mclaren_knockout_blow_leaves_sens_david_dziurzynski_acc_fans_stunned_feschuk.html">Dziurzynski dropped to the ice face-down</a> and, after coming-to, was helped gingerly from the ice, his legs wobbling below him like a newborn deer. </p><p>&quot;The players support visor use being a matter of individual choice,&quot; NHLPA special assistant Mathieu Schneider said in a statement Wednesday. &quot;We continue to regularly educate the players on the benefits of wearing a visor so that each player can make an informed decision.&quot;</p><p>Chicago is going to face a painful decision over the summer regarding Hossa, the 34-year-old winger whose contract runs through the 2020-21 season. The cap-recapture formula would inflict penalties of a minimum of $4.6M per season and a maximum of $9.2M per if he were to retire before the expiration of his contract at age 42.</p><p>&quot;The top three teams in each division earn postseason berths. The remaining four spots go to wild cards, the top two records in each conference. That means there's a possibility five teams make it from one division and only three from another.&quot; </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/mar/12/nhl-staged-fights-frazer-mclaren-david-dziurzynsk">Continue reading...</a>NHLUS sportsSportNew York RangersToronto Maple LeafsOttawa SenatorsTue, 12 Mar 2013 13:44:03 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/mar/12/nhl-staged-fights-frazer-mclaren-david-dziurzynskMARK BLINCH/REUTERSToronto Maple Leafs' Frazer McLaren fights Ottawa Senators' David Dziurzynski in Toronto, March 6, 2013. Photograph: Mark Blinch/ReutersMARK BLINCH/REUTERSToronto Maple Leafs Frazer McLaren fights Ottawa Senators David Dziurzynski (R) during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Toronto, March 6, 2013. Dziurzynski left the ice after the fight. Photograph: Mark Blinch/ReutersColin Horgan2013-03-12T13:44:03ZTim Thomas: Stanley Cup winner, Obama protester and now traded to the Islandershttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/feb/12/tim-thomas-boston-bruins-obama-islanders
The rise and fall of Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas who has been traded to the New York Islanders; Russian refs fight back; and did Mikhail Grabovski bite Max Pacioretty?<p>So this is how it ends, the strange trip it's been with now-former Boston Bruins goaltender, Tim Thomas, who was <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2013/02/07/sp-nhl-tim-thomas-new-york-islanders-trade-boston-bruins.html">traded to the New York Islanders</a> in a mostly <a href="http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/07/islanders-get-thomas-but-salary-rules-are-the-motivation/">administrative move that brought the Iles up to meet the bottom end of the cap and left the Bruins with a bit of breathing room at the top of it</a>. Strange though Thomas's exit might have been (more on that in a second), his entry into the annals of NHL history was somewhat unorthodox, too. He was drafted in 1994 to the Quebec Nordiques, 217th overall, but then languished for ages in minor leagues and, eventually, in Europe – a kind of Kurt Warner of the ice. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/feb/12/tim-thomas-boston-bruins-obama-islanders">Continue reading...</a>NHLUS sportsSportBoston BruinsAnaheim DucksMontreal CanadiensToronto Maple LeafsTue, 12 Feb 2013 15:09:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/feb/12/tim-thomas-boston-bruins-obama-islandersRay Stubblebine/ReutersBoston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas in happier times. Photograph: Ray Stubblebine/ReutersRay Stubblebine/ReutersBoston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas celebrates after they came from behind with four goals in the third period to beat the New Jersey Devils in their NHL hockey game in Newark, New Jersey, January 19, 2012. Photograph: Ray Stubblebine/ReutersColin Horgan2013-02-12T15:09:00ZMaple Leafs coach swap, gay rights and three points for a win | Colin Horganhttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/mar/07/toronto-maple-leafs-brian-burke-randy-carlyle
Toronto Maple Leafs fire coach Ron Wilson and hire Randy Carlyle; Brian Burke launches You Can Play campaign; and how many points should a team get for a win?<p>Brian Burke is one of the more polarizing characters of the last decade in the NHL, and sure enough, he just added another chapter to his saga this week when he fired Maple Leafs head coach Ron Wilson (and replacing him with former Ducks coach – and past Burkian acolyte – Randy Carlyle). We can probably debate whether Wilson's exit came either too late or too soon in the Leafs' season, but what remains in his stead is a mess.</p><p>&quot;Randy Carlyle, 55, spent seven seasons as the Anaheim Ducks' head coach. He was named the seventh head coach in team history on Aug. 1, 2005, and led the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup championship (2007), Pacific Division championship (2007) and five playoff appearances (2005-09, 2011). Only one NHL coach has won more postseason games than Carlyle's 36 since 2005-06 (Mike Babcock).&quot;</p><p>&quot;The Burke family is very proud to carry on Brendan's legacy. … The You Can Play project will serve as a tremendous resource for the sports community by providing them with the tools needed to create safe arenas. I continue to be incredibly grateful to the NHL community for rallying around our cause and standing up for equality, and I look forward to seeing other leagues do the same. It has become abundantly clear to me that NHL players, coaches, and management agree completely with our ideals: talent matters, sexual orientation does not.&quot;</p><p>&quot;What about how difficult it is for a team to come from behind in the standings at this time of year?</p><p>The Anaheim Ducks have gone 17-5-4 in their past 26 games and, while they've made up some ground, they remained seven points out of a playoff spot as of Friday morning. This is largely because of other teams around them picking up points every night either in wins or often in OT/SO losses. It clogs up the standings.</p><p>&quot;For the second straight season that we've tracked it, games go beyond 60 minutes at a much higher rate when featuring clubs from opposing conferences than those from the same conference. [...] </p><p>So far this season, about 31 per cent of contests pitting Western with Eastern Conference clubs go into an extra session. That figure is about 21 percent for intraconference games. About 60 per cent of the remaining intraconference games would have to beyond 60 minutes to reach a similar percentage.(For the record, the East has featured a handful more 60-65 minute games than the West). Yes, interconference games are a smaller sample size, but these figures are in line with what transpired last season.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The team had a wretched start - giving up three goals by the 5: 10 mark - thanks to some abysmal defensive zone coverage and a lousy Roberto Luongo performance. The Sedin twins were again held without a point, Aaron Rome was minus-3 and the ineffective Mason Raymond continued to be the ineffective Mason Raymond.&quot;</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/mar/07/toronto-maple-leafs-brian-burke-randy-carlyle">Continue reading...</a>NHLUS sportsSportToronto Maple LeafsWed, 07 Mar 2012 09:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/mar/07/toronto-maple-leafs-brian-burke-randy-carlyleChristinne Muschi/REUTERSToronto Maple Leafs new head coach Randy Carlyle ahead of their NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens. Photograph: Christinne Muschi/ReutersChristinne Muschi/REUTERSToronto Maple Leafs newly appointed Head Coach Randy Carlyle works with the team during practice prior to their NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal, March 3, 2012. Photograph: Christinne Muschi/REUTERSColin Horgan2012-03-07T09:00:00ZNHL: five things we learned this week | Colin Horganhttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2011/dec/14/toront-maple-leafs-derek-boogaard-sidney-crosby
The new Toronto Maple Leaf owners; Lokomotiv Yaroslavl arise; and bad news for the New York Rangers<br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/dec/07/derek-boogaard-enforcer-conference-realignment-teddy-bears">NHL: five things we learned last week</a><br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/interactive/2011/feb/18/nhl-video-highlights">NHL video highlights</a><p>The new Toronto Maple Leaf owners and their plans; Lokomotiv Yaroslavl arise; and bad news for the New York Rangers are among the hockey subjects we discuss this week. Please share your thoughts on these - and other - issues below.</p><p><br />&quot;This was a business deal and nothing more. The acquisition isn't about sports; it's about buying and distributing programming... Only one thing gets sworn enemies to work together and it's not the dream of having their names engraved side-by-side on a silver trophy. It's the chance to make a lot of money... The very nature of the deal, with each giant owning 37.5 per cent of the team, suggests that the main objective is to extract value from the sports properties rather than invest in them.&quot;</p><p>&quot;On the outskirts of Moscow, the families of the players, coaching staff and crew pay daily visits to Igor Trunov, one of Russia's best-known lawyers... The government and the insurance companies that are now refusing to pay out what's owed to the families of the dead... He has studied the results of the official investigation, but neither he nor anyone else knows why the pilots did not abort the takeoff. He can't even get the government to officially disclose who owned the plane.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We need to acknowledge this up front: It was not just the leaders of the N.H.L. who encouraged these grubby fights. It was also the people on the other side of the barricades — the fans who cheer the punches and the blood, the members of the news media who revel in the violence, and the enablers who ran the entire hockey system while Derek Boogaard's brain was being destroyed...</p><p>...The lesson from his elders was: learn to hurt somebody. The system was also producing Sidney Crosby and dozens of other skilled players, but thousands of coaches and trainers and advisers and sponsors were simultaneously running a production line of child fighters.&quot;</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2011/dec/14/toront-maple-leafs-derek-boogaard-sidney-crosby">Continue reading...</a>NHLUS sportsSportNew York RangersToronto Maple LeafsWed, 14 Dec 2011 13:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2011/dec/14/toront-maple-leafs-derek-boogaard-sidney-crosbyJay LaPrete/ReutersToronto Maple Leafs are now part-owned by telecom companies BCE Inc and Rogers Communications. Photograph: Jay LaPrete/ReutersJay LaPrete/ReutersToronto Maple Leafs' Joey Crabb carries the puck past Columbus Blue Jackets' Samuel Pahlsson during an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, November 3, 2011. Photograph: Jay LaPrete/ReutersColin Horgan2011-12-14T13:00:00Z